Singles
Single – or straight – bets are wagers on the outcome of a single event or game. These bets are very popular with novice bettors. A Point spread, a Moneyline, a Game Total, a Runline or Puckline determines the wager. Simply put, the team or event wagered on must win the game or event either outright or by covering the spread. The payout is determined by the odds posted.

Some basic rules:

• Wagers must be on the outcome of a single event or game.
• All single bets must lay 11 to win 10 unless otherwise noted at the time of the wager.
• The point spread or moneyline may fluctuate at anytime as they move with the bet, but you get the number at the time the bet is laid.

Moneylines
The moneyline is the same as the odds to win a game or event, typically offered in North American sports. It refers to the amount you must bet to win $100, or the amount of money that your wager will return.
Example: a moneyline of -110 means that you must bet $110 to win 100, while a moneyline of +110 would mean that you win $110 for a bet of $100.

If a moneyline is posted, the lines may appear as follows:

• Seattle -160
• Arizona +140

By choosing either -160 or +140, you are betting on what team you think will win the football game. To win $1 on Seattle, you must wager $1.60. If Seattle wins, you get $2.60 back, the $1.60 you bet plus the $1 you won. If you bet $1 on Arizona and they win, you get $2.40 back, the $1 you bet plus the $1.40 you won.

Pointspreads
The point spread on a game is a prediction of the difference in the scores of two teams that are playing each other.

If you want to bet on a pointspread when teams are involved, an example would be:

• Seattle -4
• Arizona +4

If you bet the -4 for Seattle, they must win by more than 4 points for you to win your bet. If you bet on +4 for Arizona, they may lose by 3 points or less, or win outright for you to win your bet. If the +/- 4 adjustment results in a tie, the wager is push and you will get your money back. Games featuring ½ point spreads will never push, and therefore there will always be a winner or a loser in his bet.

Totals
The Total or Game Total is used in football, basketball, baseball, and hockey. You are betting on whether or not the "Total Points" scored in that specific game are going to go "Over" or "Under" the number established by the bookmaker. The total is set and periodically adjusted to ensure that half of the people will wager on the over and the other half will wager on the under.

The Over/Under is the combined amount of runs, points or goals scored by both teams during the game, including the overtime. The wager involves the bettor speculating that the total score by both teams in a game will be more or less than the line posted by the sports book.
Totals are used in football, basketball, baseball, and hockey. The total is set and periodically adjusted to ensure that half of the people will wager on the over and the other half will wager on the under.

Parlays
Parlays – or combo bets – are a selection of two or more wagering outcomes. In a parlay bet, all teams bet must win for the play to be active. If any one team loses, the entire bet is lost.

A bettor can combine different sports, point spreads and moneylines in win/loss and/or totals betting. You may also buy points in betting a parlay. If there is a tie or cancellation, the parlay reverts to the next lowest number.

Some basic rules:

• In the event of a tie in a parlay bet, the number of plays is reduced. For example, if a four-play parlay has two ties, then it will become a two-play parlay and the payout will be recalculated based on the new number of plays. A 2-play parlay with one tie will reduce to a straight bet. If a parlay is reduced to zero plays, the entire wager is cancelled and the entire bet amount refunded.
• All propositions must cover for the parlay to be considered a win (exception: ties reduce, see above). If any proposition loses, the entire parlay will be considered a loss. There are no partial payouts.
• Games not played on the date specified are considered "No Action" and reduce the parlay to the next lowest number of plays. For Example: A six-play parlay will be reduced to a five-play parlay, a two-play parlay will be reduced to a straight wager. Payouts are adjusted accordingly.

Teasers
Teasers are a selection of two or more outcomes in a single wager in which either the point spread or total is adjusted in the bettor's favor. Each sport has its own range of points for teaser selections. A teaser adjusts the spread for the favorite so that it decreases the posted spread, or conversely, increases the posted spread for the underdog. If you select a total, the adjustment makes totals higher-to-go-under or lower-to-go-over.

If the lines you want to tease are Philadelphia Eagles +3 and New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts over 37, your two-team, six-point teaser would be:

• Philadelphia Eagles +9
• New England Patriots/ Indianapolis Colts over 31

Both results need to be correct for this teaser to be a winner.

Buy Points
Buy Points refers to a bettor moving the point spread for a given game in order to give up fewer points on the favorite, or gain more points on the underdog. Bettors pay a fee – often 10 per cent – for each half-point bought in their favor.

Example:

• The Indianapolis Colts are seven-point underdogs. To move the spread to seven-and-a-half points, you would buy a half-point for 10 per cent of the wager.

Some basic rules:

• Points can be bought only on standard odds (-110). Point buying is not allowed on off-standard odds.
• Wagers must be on the outcome of a single event or game and all standard rules apply.
• The team wagered on must win by the point spread you have bought.

Futures
Futures, as the name implies, is a single-wager bet on the outcome of a game or event to be held in the future. For example, the Super Bowl or the World Series.

Payouts on Futures depend on the odds offered by the house for each bet placed. Typically, Futures are represented by basic, fixed odds (although sometimes a moneyline or a multiplier may be featured). The payout is determined by those posted odds.

To calculate a payout, translate the odds (a moneyline such as -110, -180, +140 etc., or fixed odds such as 3/1) to a multiplier (the Payoff Price plus one). Multiply the multiplier by your bet to determine the Payout or Win Amount (Payoff Price plus original bet).

Some basic rules:

• Bets are on the outcome of a single event or game only
• The team wagered on must win the league or tournament.
• All wagers have action regardless of relocation or name changes.

Props
A Prop – or proposition – bet is a wager involving two or more outcomes not directly related to the final score of an event. Typically, Props are not allowed to be placed in any type of combo bet. In most cases, featured Props are usually single bets only.

Example:

• How many passing yards will Brett Favre get in his next game: less than 100; 101-150; 151-200; 201-250; 251-300 or 300+. There would be posted odds for each outcome.

Some basic rules:

• Player(s) in a 1 or 2 player prop must enter game for wagers to have action.
• In a prop with 3 or more players, all wagers have action even if a player does not play for any reason.